Memphis Grizzlies interim head coach J.B. Bickerstaff calls to players in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers Monday, Jan. 22, 2018, in Memphis, Tenn.
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Memphis Grizzlies coach J.B. Bickerstaff motions to his players during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in Sacramento, Calif., Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017.
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Memphis Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace (left) introduces new interim head coach J.B. Bickerstaff during a press conference at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., Tuesday, November 28, 2017. Bickerstaff, who was the Grizzlies associate head coach takes over recently fired head coach David Fizdale.
Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal

Memphis Grizzlies assistant coach J. B. Bickerstaff leads head coach David Fizdale towards the team bench after Fizdale was charged with a technical could during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on Nov. 25, 2016.
Nikki Boertman

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Memphis Grizzlies new interim head coach J.B. Bickerstaff (right) listens to General Manager Chris Wallace (left) talk to the media during a press conference at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., Tuesday, November 28, 2017. Bickerstaff, who was the Grizzlies associate head coach takes over recently fired head coach David Fizdale. (Photo: Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal)Buy Photo

Joerger was eventually relieved of his duties because of a fallout with management. But there was absolutely tension between Joerger and Gasol.

Fast forward to Monday when the Grizzlies dismissed coach David Fizdale 101 games into his head-coaching career. Fizdale is hardly the first Grizzlies coach to be concerned about his relationship with Gasol.

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Memphis Grizzlies head David Fizdale reacts to an officials foul during action against the New Orleans Pelicans at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., Friday, October 13, 2017.
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Memphis Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale reacts to an officials foul call during action against the Dallas Mavericks at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., Thursday, October 26, 2017.
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October 11, 2017 - Memphis Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale during game action against the Houston Rockets in the second quarter at FedExForum on Wednesday night.
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Memphis Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale during second quarter action against San Antonio Spurs in the sixth game of their NBA first round playoff series at the FedExForum.
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Memphis Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale (right) chats with official Bill Kennedy during action against the Indiana Pacers at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., Wednesday, November 15, 2017.
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Memphis Grizzlies coach David Fizdale looks up to the scoreboard during the first half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, Nov. 13, 2017, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
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October 3, 2016 - Memphis Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale reacts during the preseason game against the Orlando Magic at FedExForum. (Nikki Boertman/The Commercial Appeal)
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Memphis Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale, consults with assistant coaches J.B. Bickerstaff and Keith Smart during the game against the Washington Wizards at FedExForum.
Nikki Boertman, The Commercial Appeal

Memphis Grizzlies assistant coach J. B. Bickerstaff leads head coach David Fizdale towards the team bench after Fizdale was charged with a technical could during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on Nov. 25, 2016.
Nikki Boertman

Memphis Grizzlies coach David Fizdale gestures during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017, in Denver. The Nuggets won 104-92. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Memphis Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale calls to player in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2017, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)
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November 20, 2017 - Memphis Grizzlies center Deyonta Davis (21) with head coach David Fizdale in the fourth period against the Portland Trailblazers at FedExForum on Monday.
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November 20, 2017 - Memphis Grizzlies guard Mario Chalmers (6) and head coach David Fizdale look at referee Tony Brothers after he called a technical foul on Chalmers in the second period against the Portland Trailblazers at FedExForum on Monday.
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Memphis Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale and point guard Mike Conley talk during a break in action against the Los Angeles Clippers at FedExForum on March 9, 2017.
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Memphis Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale reacts to a call during the second half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs, Saturday, April 15, 2017, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
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Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace acknowledged during a Tuesday morning press conference there was tension between Gasol and Fizdale.

But Wallace emphasized the decision to fire Fizdale Monday was more about the team’s eight-game losing streak. Wallace pointed to a downward spiral that dated back to last season, citing Fizdale’s 14-26 record in his last 40 regular-season games.

“We needed to have a change to try to save the season,” Wallace said. “Looking at where we were headed, there just weren’t a great deal of positive trends. We hope to get a positive reboot.”

Gasol, while acknowledging his frosty relationship with Fizdale, insisted he had no role in the Grizzlies' decision to change coaches.

“Nobody likes to see a coaching change during the season,” Gasol said. “I was a little bit shocked by it… Nobody likes to be in the situation we’re in. And we were not finding a way to win collectively. We were breaking apart. Me and David didn’t see everything eye-to-eye all the time. But we both had the same intentions of making the team a collective, really strong unit. We couldn’t find a way to do that.”

Wallace sat beside interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who served as Fizdale’s associate head coach. Bickerstaff said he would only make minor changes and refuted any notion that Fizdale lost the players.

“To a man, if you ask those guys, they believed in his vision,” Bickerstaff said. “Whatever was put in front of them, they were willing to do… We can tweak a few things but the things you tweak have to be simple.”

Memphis (7-12) resumes play Wednesday night on the road against the San Antonio Spurs.

The Grizzlies are still an injury-riddled squad limping along a tough part of their schedule without Mike Conley (Achilles), Brandan Wright (groin), Chandler Parsons (knee) and Wayne Selden (quad).

When asked what are his expectations for Gasol, Bickerstaff said: “Marc is one of the leaders of this team. We need Marc to play his best basketball. In order for us to be the team we want to be a ton of that responsibility falls on Marc’s shoulders. We need him to be Marc Gasol.”

The Grizzlies’ struggles on the court can’t be attributed solely to Gasol. Yet the Grizzlies’ best player is shooting 39 percent during the skid. Gasol averaged nine rebounds over the past eight games but pulled down a total of 11 boards in the past two games.

Fizdale may have been trying to send a message to Gasol, who was on the court with the starters to begin the second half when the Grizzlies fell behind by 19 points. Fizdale critics argue Gasol should have re-entered the game when the Grizzlies cut the deficit to five points with eight minutes left to play.

But Fizdale and Gasol clashed from Day One mainly because of Fizdale’s coaching style. He demanded Gasol to be more of a vocal leader and made the 7-footer the team’s only captain.

When Fizdale asked Gasol and Conley to give input on plays, Gasol resisted.

Veteran guard Mario Chalmers said Fizdale didn’t have a problem with the locker room.

“Me being the new guy, I heard rumblings,” Chalmers said, “but I never saw anything with my own eyes. I never really bought into that.”